The B-25 was named in honor of General Billy Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation and is the only American military aircraft named after a specific person. In April 1942, 16 B-25’s made a historic raid on Tokyo operating from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet under the command of General Doolittle---a raid that did little damage, but gave the U.S. a psychological lift during the early days of the Pacific Ocean hostilities.

During the war years, the RAF, the Soviet Union, China Union, Brazil and the Netherlands also used the B-25. The “H” version with 16 guns and a 75mm cannon was the most lethal twin-engine bomber of World War 2. By the end of its production, nearly 10,000 B-25s in numerous models had been built. These included a few limited variations, such as the US Navy's and US Marine Corps' PBJ-1 patrol bomber and the Army Air Forces' F-10 photo reconnaissance aircraft.